Among homes available in the tiny borough are a new colonial at 25 Lincoln Place, top, for $499,000 that has a custom kitchen and three-car garage; a four-bedroom ranch, above left, at 26 Henry St. for $339,900; and a center-hall colonial at 16A Henry St. for $374,900.

"In my opinion, it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing to happen," said Manny, an owner of the Segovia Restaurant, also in Moonachie.

Sandy sent a 10-foot tidal surge that submerged this blue-collar town of 2,700 in a matter of minutes on Oct. 29, 2012. Hundreds had to be rescued, and nearly every business and home suffered damage. One of the hardest-hit areas, the Vanguard Mobile Park Home, saw trailers crushed; the storm toppled trees and sent homes and cars adrift in the surge.

Undaunted, the couple changed their street address but not their town, as they found a ranch they loved on a 200-by-200-foot property — something that can be hard to find in southern Bergen County.

Their attachment to Moonachie was formed after their kids had grown, and they decided to downsize from a big house in Mahwah but wanted to be close to Manhattan. Martinez said 10 minutes is all it takes most days, to reach the city, which is clearly visible in the distance from this tiny borough’s main street — Moonachie Avenue.

He’s not alone in appreciating what Moonachie has to offer — such as one of the lowest tax rates in Bergen County and homes that often beat neighboring towns for affordability. Home buyers have been known to stay in the borough for three to four generations, Mayor Dennis Vaccaro said.

But not everyone made it past Sandy and got to remain in the town. Alene Poplawski said she wanted to stay, but all the Federal Emergency Management Agency paperwork she completed didn’t bring her the aid she needed to restore her home in Vanguard Mobile Park. She still brings her children to Moonachie’s playground and calls it a "great town," but she’s moved to a smaller place in Lodi.

"The people who needed the help didn’t get it," she said sadly.

Quaint residential streets of mostly single-family homes connect to the park, and their owners, as well as the town’s service organizations, have had mixed success recovering from Sandy. The ambulance squad still displays a sign seeking restoration funds, while others, like the senior center, are back on track.

Vaccaro was optimistic about Moonachie’s future: "People are more confident now about moving into Moonachie. They’re seeing Moonachie for what it was before the storm."

Rebuilding the Borough Hall/ police station will go a long way toward regaining confidence, and a $2.17 million FEMA grant will make that happen, he said.

Several real-estate agents also see more buyers considering the town. "There’s definitely an increase in interest," said David Viganola, sales associate with Re/Max Pros in Little Ferry. "The past few years have been very slow. Now there’s new construction. We didn’t see that a year ago."

Teresa Anastasio, an agent with Gentry Properties Associates LLC in Little Ferry, acknowledges the pain that Sandy caused for Moonachie, where she’s lived her entire life, but also believes that the community is bouncing back.

"I’m getting listings. I’m seeing people looking. I see it totally turning around for us," Anastasio said.

Price is the big selling point, she said, noting that "often you could pay another $100,000 for the same house one mile away."

"The hardest part of a sale," she said, "is to get people over their fear of the unknown and to understand there are more pros than cons."

Maria De Trizio, sales associate with Century 21 Eudan Realty in Hasbrouck Heights, said people can shy away if they hear a property is in the flood zone, but competitive pricing can win them over, and this year the market seems to be picking up.

The New Jersey Multiple Listing Service shows 16 homes available in Moonachie, ranging from $204,900 for four-bedroom, two-bath Cape Cod to $499,000 for a five-bedroom, two-bath colonial.